Pull tab gift card holder

ABSTRACT

An expanding card holder includes pleated flaps operated by manipulating opposing pull tabs to selectively reveal hidden images, decorations, characters or text within the holder.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the prior filed, co-pending provisional application Serial No. 61/413,186, filed Nov. 12, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to gift card holders and more particularly to a device for holding a gift card or gift card packet while providing graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add value to the gift, namely a gift card holder that provides means for a user to selectively reveal hidden images, decorations, characters or text by manipulating moveable holder components.

Transaction cards, stored value cards, or gift cards, as they are commonly called based upon their intended use, have become popular gifts. Gift cards typically comprise a stored value card whereby a certain cash equivalent value is encoded upon a magnetic strip applied to the surface of the card. This stored value may be determined by the vendor prior to packaging and display for sale or, more commonly, is selected at the point of sale by the purchaser and loaded by the cashier using a magnetic card reader/writer. While popular, gift cards are typically provided with a generic and impersonal design, typically identifying the associated merchant for which the card may be used to purchase merchandise, and therefore are not personalized in view of the intended recipient.

What is needed, therefore, is a gift card holder that provides graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add value to the gift.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to provide a holder for receiving and holding a gift card. The gift card holder provides graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add value to the gift. The gift card holder may comprise a backer board supporting a bellowed frame comprising a front panel surrounding an aperture or window and pleated sides extending from the front panel to attach to the front surface of the back board. The frame may therefore extend from or retract closer to the backer board as the pleated sides unfold or fold, respectively. The space between the frame and the backer board mimics a stage in which one or more images are displayed upon the front surface of the backer board and/or upon cardstock cutout character or decorative elements that may be mounted within the space and which are viewable through the window. When the frame is in a retracted disposition, the window is closed by two pleated flaps that may be designed to mimic stage curtains. Pull tabs extend from the outer margins of the flaps and through apertures in the side walls so that they may be grasped by a user. Each flap typically comprises three panels serially connected to one another by two folds or hinges, namely an outer panel, middle panel and rear panel. The flaps may share a common rear panel, which is typically adhered to the backer board and may form a partial front covering of the backer board that displays the backer board images referenced above. The pull tabs extend outwardly from each outer panel.

One or more character or decorative elements, typically shapes cut from cardstock, project from or are mounted upon an elongated base that extends outwardly in the plane of the backer board and frame toward the sides. Base ends pass through apertures in the middle panels and are terminated in lateral extensions that exceed the aperture dimensions and, therefore, form stops so prevent the base ends from sliding out of the apertures.

The backer board includes a pocket therein that opens at the top margin of the backer board. A thumb notch may be provided to assist with removal of the gift card from the pocket.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example an embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a gift card holder showing the flaps in a closed position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in an open position to reveal images including characters, decorative elements and text behind the frame of the front panel.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of a gift card holder showing the flaps in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in an open position to reveal images including characters, decorative elements and text behind the frame of the front panel.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in a closed position and the front panel substantially refracted proximate to the backer board.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in a closed position and the front panel substantially refracted proximate to the backer board.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in an open position and the front panel extended away from the backer board by outward pressure exerted by the flaps.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a gift card holder showing the flaps in an open position and the front panel extended away from the backer board by outward pressure exerted by the flaps.

FIG. 9 is a right side view of a gift card holder in an open position showing the front panel extended away from the backer board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

With reference to the figures, FIGS. 1 through 9 illustrate embodiments of a gift card holder 100 comprising a backer board 105 supporting a bellowed frame 110. The frame 110 comprises a front panel 115 surrounding an aperture or window 120 and pleated sides 125 extending from the front panel 115 to attach to the front surface of the backer board 105. The frame 110 may therefore extend from or retract closer to the backer board 105 as the pleated sides 125 unfold or fold, respectively. The space 130 between the frame 110 and the backer board 105 mimics a stage in which one or more images 135 are displayed upon the front surface of the backer board 105 and/or upon cardstock cutout character or decorative elements 140 that may be mounted within the space and which are viewable through the window 120. When the frame 110 is in a retracted disposition, the window 120 is closed by two pleated flaps 150 that may be designed to mimic stage curtains. FIGS. 1 and 3 are front views of embodiments of a gift card holder 100 showing the flaps 125 in a closed position.

Pull tabs 155 extend from the outer margins of the flaps 150 and through apertures 160 in the sides 125 so that they may be grasped by a user. Each flap 150 typically comprises three panels serially connected to one another by two folds or hinges, namely an outer panel 151, middle panel 152 and rear panel 153. The flaps 150 may share a common rear panel 153, which is typically adhered to the backer board 105 and may form a partial front covering of the backer board 105 that displays the backer board images 135 referenced above. The pull tabs 155 extend outwardly from each outer panel 151.

One or more character or decorative elements 170, typically shapes cut from cardstock, project from or are mounted upon an elongated base 175 that extends outwardly in the plane of the backer board 105 and frame 110 toward the sides 125. Base ends 180 pass through apertures 185 in the middle panels 152 and are terminated in lateral extensions 190 that exceed the aperture dimensions and, therefore, form stops 190 to prevent the base ends 180 from sliding out of the apertures 185.

When the pull tabs 155 are pulled outward in the direction of arrows A the middle 152 and outer 151 panels move about the hinge or fold lines therebetween and the front edge of middle panel 152 moves forward to exert pressure on the outer panel 151, which transmits such pressure to the frame 110 causing the front panel 115 to extend forward, and the outer panels 151 move outward opening a space 195 therebetween and revealing the images 135 and elements 170 behind the window 120. FIGS. 2 and 4 each provide a front view of a gift card holder 100 showing the flaps 150 in an open position to reveal images including characters, decorative elements and text behind the frame 110.

The backer board 105 includes a pocket 200 therein that opens at the top margin of the backer board 105. A thumb notch 205 may be provided to assist with removal of a gift card (not shown) from the pocket 200.

Note that drawings are not to scale or to relative scale but are representative of aspects of one or more embodiments of the present invention. 

1. A gift card holder comprising: a backer board supporting a bellowed frame, said frame including a front panel surrounding an aperture and first and second pleated sides extending from said front panel at opposing ends thereof to attach to a front surface of said backer board, said pleated sides causing said frame to extend further from said backer board as said pleated sides unfold, or to retract closer to said backer board as said pleated sides fold, one or more images displayed within said holder and in general alignment with said aperture, a first pleated flap within said holder, and an opposing second pleated flap within said holder, a pull tab extending laterally outward from said first pleated flap and through a first pull tab aperture within said first pleated side, a pull tab extending laterally outward from said second pleated flap and through a second pull tab aperture within a second of said pleated sides. 